5. [T]he simple word Care may suffice to express [the journal’s] philosophical
mission. The new journal is designed to promote better patient care by
serving the expanded needs of all health professionals committed to the care
of patients with diabetes. As such, the American Diabetes Association views
Diabetes Care as a reaffirmation of Francis Weld Peabody’s contention that
“the secret of the care of the patient is in caring for the patient.”
—Norbert Freinkel, Diabetes Care, January-February 1978
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Matthew C. Riddle, MD
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
George Bakris, MD
Lawrence Blonde, MD, FACP
Andrew J.M. Boulton, MD
David D’Alessio, MD
Eddie L. Greene, MD
Korey K. Hood, PhD
Frank B. Hu, MD, MPH, PhD
Steven E. Kahn, MB, ChB
Sanjay Kaul, MD, FACC, FAHA
Derek LeRoith, MD, PhD
Robert G. Moses, MD
Stephen Rich, PhD
Julio Rosenstock, MD
Judith Wylie-Rosett, EdD, RD
EDITORIAL BOARD
Andrew J. Ahmann, MD
Vanita R. Aroda, MD
Linda A. Barbour, MD, MSPH
Roy W. Beck, MD, PhD
Gianni Bellomo, MD
Geremia Bolli, MD
John B. Buse, MD, PhD
Sonia Caprio, MD
Jessica R. Castle, MD
Robert J. Chilton, DO, FACC, FAHA
Kenneth Cusi, MD, FACP, FACE
J. Hans DeVries, MD, PhD
Ele Ferrannini, MD
Thomas W. Gardner, MD, MS
Jennifer Green, MD
Meredith A. Hawkins, MD, MS
Petr Heneberg, RNDr, PhD
Norbert Hermanns, PhD, MSc
Irl B. Hirsch, MD, MACP
Reinhard W. Holl, MD, PhD
Philip Home, DM, DPhil
George S. Jeha, MD
Lee M. Kaplan, MD, PhD
M. Sue Kirkman, MD
Ildiko Lingvay, MD, MPH, MSCS
Maureen Monaghan, PhD, CDE
Kristen J. Nadeau, MD, MS
Gregory A. Nichols, PhD, MBA
Kwame Osei, MD
Kevin A. Peterson, MD, MPH, FRCS(Ed),
FAAFP
Ravi Retnakaran, MD, MSc, FRCPC
Elizabeth Seaquist, MD
Guntram Schernthaner, MD
Jan S. Ulbrecht, MB, BS
Ram Weiss, MD, PhD
Deborah Wexler, MD, MSc
Vincent C. Woo, MD, FRCPC
Bernard Zinman, CM, MD, FRCPC, FACP
AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION OFFICERS
CHAIR OF THE BOARD
Karen Talmadge, PhD
PRESIDENT, MEDICINE & SCIENCE
Jane Reusch, MD
PRESIDENT, HEALTH CARE &
EDUCATION
Felicia Hill-Briggs, PhD, ABPP
SECRETARY/TREASURER
Michael Ching, CPA
CHAIR OF THE BOARD-ELECT
David J. Herrick, MBA
PRESIDENT-ELECT, MEDICINE & SCIENCE
Louis Philipson, MD
PRESIDENT-ELECT, HEALTH CARE &
EDUCATION
Gretchen Youssef, MS, RD, CDE
SECRETARY/TREASURER-ELECT
Brian Bertha, JD, MBA
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Tracey D. Brown, MBA, BChE
CHIEF SCIENTIFIC, MEDICAL & MISSION OFFICER
William T. Cefalu, MD
January 2019 Volume 42, Supplement 1
The mission of the American Diabetes Association
is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve
the lives of all people affected by diabetes.
7. January 2019 Volume 42, Supplement 1
Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2019
S1 Introduction
S3 Professional Practice Committee
S4 Summary of Revisions: Standards of Medical Care in
Diabetes—2019
S7 1. Improving Care and Promoting Health in
Populations
Diabetes and Population Health
Tailoring Treatment for Social Context
S13 2. Classification and Diagnosis of Diabetes
Classification
Diagnostic Tests for Diabetes
A1C
Type 1 Diabetes
Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
Cystic Fibrosis–Related Diabetes
Posttransplantation Diabetes Mellitus
Monogenic Diabetes Syndromes
S29 3. Prevention or Delay of Type 2 Diabetes
Lifestyle Interventions
Pharmacologic Interventions
Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease
Diabetes Self-management Education and Support
S34 4. Comprehensive Medical Evaluation and
Assessment of Comorbidities
Patient-Centered Collaborative Care
Comprehensive Medical Evaluation
Assessment of Comorbidities
S46 5. Lifestyle Management
Diabetes Self-management Education and Support
Nutrition Therapy
Physical Activity
Smoking Cessation: Tobacco and e-Cigarettes
Psychosocial Issues
S61 6. Glycemic Targets
Assessment of Glycemic Control
A1C Goals
Hypoglycemia
Intercurrent Illness
S71 7. Diabetes Technology
Insulin Delivery
Self-monitoring of Blood Glucose
Continuous Glucose Monitors
Automated Insulin Delivery
S81 8. Obesity Management for the Treatment of Type 2
Diabetes
Assessment
Diet, Physical Activity, and Behavioral Therapy
Pharmacotherapy
Medical Devices for Weight Loss
Metabolic Surgery
S90 9. Pharmacologic Approaches to Glycemic
Treatment
Pharmacologic Therapy for Type 1 Diabetes
Surgical Treatment for Type 1 Diabetes
Pharmacologic Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes
S103 10. Cardiovascular Disease and Risk
Management
Hypertension/Blood Pressure Control
Lipid Management
Antiplatelet Agents
Cardiovascular Disease
S124 11. Microvascular Complications and Foot Care
Chronic Kidney Disease
Diabetic Retinopathy
Neuropathy
Foot Care
S139 12. Older Adults
Neurocognitive Function
Hypoglycemia
Treatment Goals
Lifestyle Management
Pharmacologic Therapy
Treatment in Skilled Nursing Facilities
and Nursing Homes
End-of-Life Care
S148 13. Children and Adolescents
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes
Transition From Pediatric to Adult Care
S165 14. Management of Diabetes in Pregnancy
Diabetes in Pregnancy
Preconception Counseling
Glycemic Targets in Pregnancy
Management of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
Management of Preexisting Type 1 Diabetes
and Type 2 Diabetes in Pregnancy
Pregnancy and Drug Considerations
Postpartum Care
S173 15. Diabetes Care in the Hospital
Hospital Care Delivery Standards
Glycemic Targets in Hospitalized Patients
Bedside Blood Glucose Monitoring
Antihyperglycemic Agents in Hospitalized Patients
Hypoglycemia
Medical Nutrition Therapy in the Hospital
Self-management in the Hospital
Standards for Special Situations
Transition From the Acute Care Setting
Preventing Admissions and Readmissions
S182 16. Diabetes Advocacy
Advocacy Statements
S184 Disclosures
S187 Index
This issue is freely accessible online at care.diabetesjournals.org/content/42/Supplement_1.
Keep up with the latest information for Diabetes Care and other ADA titles via Facebook (/ADAJournals) and Twitter (@ADA_Journals).
10. consensus panel) and represents the
panel’s collective analysis, evaluation,
and opinion.
The need for a consensus report arises
when clinicians, scientists, regulators,
and/or policy makers desire guidance
and/or clarity on a medical or scientific
issue related to diabetes for which the
evidence is contradictory, emerging, or
incomplete. Consensus reports may also
highlight gaps in evidence and propose
areas of future research to address these
gaps. A consensus report is not an ADA
position and represents expert opinion
only but is produced under the auspices
of the Association by invited experts.
A consensus report may be developed
after an ADA Clinical Conference or Re-
search Symposium.
Scientific Review
A scientific review is a balanced review
and analysis of the literature on a scien-
tific or medical topic related to diabetes.
A scientific review is not an ADA po-
sition and does not contain clinical prac-
tice recommendations but is produced
under the auspices of the Association
by invited experts. The scientific review
may provide a scientific rationale for
clinical practice recommendations in the
Standards of Care. The category may also
include task force and expert committee
reports.
GRADING OF SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE
Since the ADA first began publishing
practice guidelines, there has been con-
siderable evolution in the evaluation of
scientific evidence and in the develop-
ment of evidence-based guidelines. In
2002, the ADA developed a classification
system to grade the quality of scientific
evidence supporting ADA recommen-
dations. A 2015 analysis of the evi-
dence cited in the Standards of Care
found steady improvement in quality
over the previous 10 years, with the
2014 Standards of Care for the first
time having the majority of bulleted
recommendations supported by A- or
B-level evidence (4). A grading system
(Table 1) developed by the ADA and
modeled after existing methods was
used to clarify and codify the evidence
that forms the basis for the recommen-
dations. ADA recommendations are as-
signed ratings of A, B, or C, depending on
the quality of evidence. Expert opinion
E is a separate category for recommen-
dations in which there is no evidence
from clinical trials, in which clinical trials
may be impractical, or in which there
is conflicting evidence. Recommenda-
tions with an A rating are based on large
well-designed clinical trials or well-done
meta-analyses. Generally, these recom-
mendations have the best chance of
improving outcomes when applied to
the population to which they are ap-
propriate. Recommendations with lower
levels of evidence may be equally im-
portant but are not as well supported.
Of course, evidence is only one com-
ponent of clinical decision making. Clini-
cians care for patients, not populations;
guidelines must always be interpreted
with the individual patient in mind. In-
dividualcircumstances,suchascomorbid
and coexisting diseases, age, education,
disability, and, above all, patients’ values
and preferences, must be considered
and may lead to different treatment tar-
gets and strategies. Furthermore, con-
ventional evidence hierarchies, such as
the one adapted by the ADA, may miss
nuances important in diabetes care. For
example, although there is excellent
evidence from clinical trials supporting
the importance of achieving multiple
risk factor control, the optimal way to
achieve this result is less clear. It is dif-
ficult to assess each component of such
a complex intervention.
References
1. American Diabetes Association. Medical
Management of Type 1 Diabetes. 7th ed.
WangCC,ShahAC,Eds.Alexandria,VA,American
Diabetes Association, 2017
2. American Diabetes Association. Medical
Management of Type 2 Diabetes. 7th ed.
Burant CF, Young LA, Eds. Alexandria, VA,
American Diabetes Association, 2012
3. Li R, Zhang P, Barker LE, Chowdhury FM,
Zhang X. Cost-effectiveness of interventions to
prevent and control diabetes mellitus: a sys-
tematic review. Diabetes Care 2010;33:1872–
1894
4. Grant RW, Kirkman MS. Trends in the ev-
idence level for the American Diabetes As-
sociation’s “Standards of Medical Care in
Diabetes” from 2005 to 2014. Diabetes Care
2015;38:6–8
Table 1—ADA evidence-grading system for “Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes”
Level of evidence Description
A Clear evidence from well-conducted, generalizable randomized controlled
trials that are adequately powered, including
c Evidence from a well-conducted multicenter trial
c Evidence from a meta-analysis that incorporated quality ratings in the
analysis
Compelling nonexperimental evidence, i.e., “all or none” rule developed by
the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine at the University of Oxford
Supportive evidence from well-conducted randomized controlled trials that
are adequately powered, including
c Evidence from a well-conducted trial at one or more institutions
c Evidence from a meta-analysis that incorporated quality ratings in the
analysis
B Supportive evidence from well-conducted cohort studies
c Evidence from a well-conducted prospective cohort study or registry
c Evidence from a well-conducted meta-analysis of cohort studies
Supportive evidence from a well-conducted case-control study
C Supportive evidence from poorly controlled or uncontrolled studies
c Evidencefromrandomizedclinicaltrialswithoneormoremajororthree
or more minor methodological flaws that could invalidate the results
c Evidencefromobservationalstudieswithhighpotentialforbias(suchas
case series with comparison with historical controls)
c Evidence from case series or case reports
Conflicting evidence with the weight of evidence supporting the
recommendation
E Expert consensus or clinical experience
S2 Introduction Diabetes Care Volume 42, Supplement 1, January 2019
13. patterns, macronutrient distribution, and
meal planning sections to better iden-
tify candidates for meal plans, specifically
for low-carbohydrate eating patterns
and people who are pregnant or lactat-
ing, who have or are at risk for disor-
dered eating, who have renal disease,
and who are taking sodium–glucose co-
transporter 2 inhibitors. There is not
a one-size-fits-all eating pattern for in-
dividuals with diabetes, and meal plan-
ning should be individualized.
A recommendation was modified to
encourage people with diabetes to de-
crease consumption of both sugar
sweetened and nonnutritive-sweetened
beverages and use other alternatives,
with an emphasis on water intake.
The sodium consumption recommen-
dation was modified to eliminate the
further restriction that was potentially
indicated for those with both diabetes
and hypertension.
Additional discussion was added to the
physical activity section to include the ben-
efit of a variety of leisure-time physical ac-
tivities and flexibility and balance exercises.
The discussion about e-cigarettes was
expanded to include more on public
perception and how their use to aide
smoking cessation was not more effec-
tive than “usual care.”
Section 6. Glycemic Targets
This section now begins with a discussion
of A1C tests to highlight the centrality of
A1C testing in glycemic management.
The self-monitoring of blood glucose
and continuous glucose monitoring text
and recommendations were moved to
the new Diabetes Technology section.
To emphasize that the risks and ben-
efits of glycemic targets can change as
diabetes progresses and patients age,
a recommendation was added to reeval-
uate glycemic targets over time.
The section was modified to align
with the living Standards updates made
in April 2018 regarding the consensus
definition of hypoglycemia.
Section 7. Diabetes Technology
This new section includes new recommen-
dations, the self-monitoring of blood glu-
cose section formerly included in Section
6 “Glycemic Targets,” and a discussion of
insulindeliverydevices(syringes,pens,and
insulin pumps), blood glucose meters, con-
tinuous glucose monitors (real-time and
intermittently scanned [“flash”]), and au-
tomated insulin delivery devices.
The recommendation to use self-
monitoring of blood glucose in people
who are not using insulin was changed
to acknowledge that routine glucose
monitoring is of limited additional clin-
ical benefit in this population.
Section 8. Obesity Management for
the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes
A recommendation was modified to
acknowledge the benefits of tracking
weight, activity, etc., in the context of
achieving and maintaining a healthy
weight.
A brief section was added on medical
devices for weight loss, which are not
currently recommended due to limited
data in people with diabetes.
The recommendations for metabolic
surgery were modified to align with re-
cent guidelines, citing the importance of
considering comorbidities beyond dia-
betes when contemplating the ap-
propriateness of metabolic surgery for
a given patient.
Section 9. Pharmacologic Approaches
to Glycemic Treatment
The section on the pharmacologic treat-
ment of type 2 diabetes was signifi-
cantly changed to align, as per the
living Standards update in October
2018, with the ADA-EASD consensus
report on this topic, summarized in
the new Figs. 9.1 and 9.2. This includes
consideration of key patient factors:
a) important comorbidities such as
ASCVD, chronic kidney disease, and
heart failure, b) hypoglycemia risk, c)
effects on body weight, d) side effects,
e) costs, and f) patient preferences.
To align with the ADA-EASD con-
sensus report, the approach to inject-
able medication therapy was revised
(Fig. 9.2). A recommendation that, for
most patients who need the greater
efficacy of an injectable medication, a
glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor ago-
nist should be the first choice, ahead
of insulin.
A new section was added on insulin
injection technique, emphasizing the im-
portance of technique for appropriate
insulin dosing and the avoidance of com-
plications (lipodystrophy, etc.).
The section on noninsulin pharmaco-
logic treatments for type 1 diabetes was
abbreviated, as these are not generally
recommended.
Section 10. Cardiovascular Disease
and Risk Management
For the first time, this section is endorsed
by the American College of Cardiology.
Additional text was added to acknowl-
edge heart failure as an important type
of cardiovascular disease in people with
diabetes for consideration when deter-
mining optimal diabetes care.
The blood pressure recommenda-
tions were modified to emphasize the
importance of individualization of targets
based on cardiovascular risk.
A discussion of the appropriate use of
the ASCVD risk calculator was included,
and recommendations were modified
to include assessment of 10-year ASCVD
risk as part of overall risk assessment
and in determining optimal treatment
approaches.
The recommendation and text regard-
ing the use of aspirin in primary pre-
vention was updated with new data.
For alignment with the ADA-EASD
consensusreport, two recommendations
were added for the use of medications
thathaveprovencardiovascularbenefitin
people with ASCVD, with and without
heart failure.
Section 11. Microvascular
Complications and Foot Care
To align with the ADA-EASD consensus
report, a recommendation was added for
people with type 2 diabetes and chronic
kidney disease to consider agents with
proven benefit with regard to renal out-
comes.
The recommendation on the use of
telemedicine in retinal screening was
modified to acknowledge the utility of
this approach, so long as appropriate
referrals are made for a comprehensive
eye examination.
Gabapentin was added to the list of
agents to be considered for the treat-
ment of neuropathic pain in people with
diabetes based on data on efficacy and
the potential for cost savings.
The gastroparesis section includes a
discussion of a few additional treatment
modalities.
The recommendation for patients with
diabetes to have their feet inspected at
every visit was modified to only include
those at high risk for ulceration. Annual
care.diabetesjournals.org Summary of Revisions S5
14. examinations remain recommended for
everyone.
Section 12. Older Adults
A new section and recommendation on
lifestyle management was added to address
the unique nutritional and physical activity
needs and considerations for older adults.
Within the pharmacologic therapy
discussion, deintensification of insulin re-
gimes was introduced to help simplify
insulin regimen to match individual’s
self-management abilities. A new figure
was added (Fig. 12.1) that provides a path
for simplification. A new table was also
added (Table 12.2) to help guide providers
considering medication regimen simplifi-
cation and deintensification/deprescrib-
ing in older adults with diabetes.
Section 13. Children and Adolescents
Introductory language was added to the
beginning of this section reminding the
reader that the epidemiology, patho-
physiology, developmental consider-
ations, and response to therapy in
pediatric-onset diabetes are different
from adult diabetes, and that there
are also differences in recommended
care for children and adolescents with
type 1 as opposed to type 2 diabetes.
A recommendation was added to em-
phasize the need for disordered eating
screening in youth with type 1 diabetes
beginning at 10–12 years of age.
Based on new evidence, a recom-
mendation was added discouraging
e-cigarette use in youth.
The discussion of type 2 diabetes in
children and adolescents was significantly
expanded, with new recommendations
in a number of areas, including screen-
ing and diagnosis, lifestyle management,
pharmacologic management, and transi-
tion of care to adult providers. New
sections and/or recommendations for
type 2 diabetes in children and adoles-
cents were added for glycemic targets,
metabolic surgery, nephropathy, neurop-
athy, retinopathy, nonalcoholic fatty liver
disease, obstructive sleep apnea, poly-
cystic ovary syndrome, cardiovascular
disease, dyslipidemia, cardiac function
testing, and psychosocial factors. Figure
13.1 was added to provide guidance
on the management of diabetes in
overweight youth.
Section 14. Management of Diabetes
in Pregnancy
Women with preexisting diabetes are
now recommended to have their care
managed in a multidisciplinary clinic to
improve diabetes and pregnancy out-
comes.
Greater emphasis has been placed on
the use of insulin as the preferred med-
ication for treating hyperglycemia in
gestational diabetes mellitus as it does
not cross the placenta to a measurable
extent and how metformin and gly-
buride should not be used as first-
line agents as both cross the placenta
to the fetus.
Section 15. Diabetes Care in the
Hospital
Because of their ability to improve hos-
pital readmission rates and cost of care,
a new recommendation was added call-
ing for providers to consider consulting
with a specialized diabetes or glucose
management team where possible
when caring for hospitalized patients
with diabetes.
Section 16. Diabetes Advocacy
The “Insulin Access and Affordability
Working Group: Conclusions and
Recommendations” ADA statement was
added to this section. Published in 2018,
this statement compiled public informa-
tion and convened a series of meetings
with stakeholders throughout the in-
sulin supply chain to learn how each
entity affects the cost of insulin for the
consumer, an important topic for the
ADA and people living with diabetes.
S6 Summary of Revisions Diabetes Care Volume 42, Supplement 1, January 2019
16. intended to guide an overall approach to
care. The science and art of medicine
come together when the clinician is faced
with making treatment recommenda-
tions for a patient who may not meet
the eligibility criteria used in the studies
on which guidelines are based. Recog-
nizing that one size does not fit all, the
standards presented here provide guid-
ance for when and how to adapt rec-
ommendations for an individual.
Care Delivery Systems
The proportion of patients with diabetes
who achieve recommended A1C, blood
pressure, and LDL cholesterol levels has
increased in recent years (3). The mean
A1C nationally among people with diabe-
tes declined from 7.6% (60 mmol/mol)
in 1999–2002 to 7.2% (55 mmol/mol)
in 2007–2010 based on the National
Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
(NHANES), with younger adults less likely
to meet treatment targets than older
adults (3). This has been accompanied
by improvements in cardiovascular out-
comes and has led to substantial re-
ductions in end-stage microvascular
complications.
Nevertheless, 33–49% of patients still
did not meet general targets for glyce-
mic, blood pressure, or cholesterol con-
trol, and only 14% met targets for all
three measures while also avoiding smok-
ing(3).Evidencesuggests that progress in
cardiovascular risk factor control (partic-
ularly tobacco use) may be slowing (3,4).
Certain segments of the population, such
asyoungadultsandpatientswithcomplex
comorbidities, financial or other social
hardships, and/or limited English pro-
ficiency, face particular challenges to
goal-based care (5–7). Even after adjust-
ing for these patient factors, the persis-
tent variability in the quality of diabetes
care across providers and practice set-
tings indicates that substantial system-
level improvements are still needed.
Diabetes poses a significant financial
burden to individuals and society. It is
estimated that the annual cost of di-
agnosed diabetes in 2017 was $327
billion, including $237 billion in direct
medical costs and $90 billion in reduced
productivity. After adjusting for inflation,
economic costs of diabetes increased
by 26% from 2012 to 2017 (8). This is
attributed to the increased prevalence
of diabetes and the increased cost per
person with diabetes. Ongoing population
health strategies are needed in order to
reduce costs and provide optimized care.
Chronic Care Model
Numerous interventions to improve ad-
herence to the recommended standards
have been implemented. However, a
major barrier to optimal care is a delivery
system that is often fragmented, lacks
clinical information capabilities, dupli-
cates services, and is poorly designed
for the coordinated delivery of chronic
care. The Chronic Care Model (CCM)
takes these factors into consideration
and is an effective framework for im-
proving the quality of diabetes care (9).
Six Core Elements. The CCM includes six
core elements to optimize the care of
patients with chronic disease:
1. Delivery system design (moving from
a reactive to a proactive care delivery
system where planned visits are
coordinated through a team-based
approach)
2. Self-management support
3. Decision support (basing care on
evidence-based, effective care
guidelines)
4. Clinical information systems (using
registries that can provide patient-
specific and population-based sup-
port to the care team)
5. Community resources and policies
(identifying or developing resources
to support healthy lifestyles)
6. Health systems (to create a quality-
oriented culture)
Redefining the roles of the health care
delivery team and empowering patient
self-management are fundamental to
the successful implementation of the
CCM (10). Collaborative, multidisciplinary
teams are best suited to provide care
for people with chronic conditions such
as diabetes and to facilitate patients’
self-management (11–13).
Strategies for System-Level Improvement
Optimal diabetes management requires
an organized, systematic approach and
the involvement of a coordinated team of
dedicated health care professionals work-
ing in an environment where patient-
centered high-quality care is a priority
(7,14,15). While many diabetes pro-
cesses of care have improved nationally
in the past decade, the overall quality of
care for patients with diabetes remains
suboptimal (3). Efforts to increase the
quality of diabetes care include provid-
ing care that is concordant with
evidence-based guidelines (16); expand-
ing the role of teams to implement more
intensive disease management strate-
gies (7,17,18); tracking medication-
taking behavior at a systems level (19);
redesigning the organization of the care
process (20); implementing electronic
health record tools (21,22); empowering
and educating patients (23,24); removing
financial barriers and reducing patient
out-of-pocket costs for diabetes educa-
tion, eye exams,diabetes technology,and
necessary medications (7); assessing and
addressing psychosocial issues (25,26);
and identifying, developing, and engaging
community resources and public policies
that support healthy lifestyles (27). The
National Diabetes Education Program
maintains an online resource (www
.betterdiabetescare.nih.gov)tohelphealth
care professionals design and implement
moreeffectivehealthcaredeliverysystems
for those with diabetes.
The care team, which centers around
the patient, should avoid therapeutic
inertia and prioritize timely and appro-
priate intensification of lifestyle and/or
pharmacologic therapy for patients who
have not achieved the recommended
metabolic targets (28–30). Strategies
shown to improve care team behavior
and thereby catalyze reductions in A1C,
blood pressure, and/or LDL cholesterol
include engaging in explicit and collab-
orative goal setting with patients (31,32);
identifying and addressing language,
numeracy, or cultural barriers to care
(33–35); integrating evidence-based guide-
lines and clinical information tools
into the process of care (16,36,37);
soliciting performance feedback, setting
reminders, and providing structured care
(e.g., guidelines, formal case manage-
ment, and patient education resources)
(7); and incorporating care management
teams including nurses, dietitians, phar-
macists, and other providers (17,38).
Initiatives such as the Patient-Centered
Medical Home show promise for im-
proving health outcomes by fostering
comprehensive primary care and offer-
ing new opportunities for team-based
chronic disease management (39).
Telemedicine is a growing field that
may increase access to care for patients
with diabetes. Telemedicine is defined
as the use of telecommunications to
S8 Improving Care and Promoting Health Diabetes Care Volume 42, Supplement 1, January 2019
17. facilitate remote delivery of health-re-
lated services and clinical information
(40). A growing body of evidence sug-
gests that various telemedicine modali-
ties may be effective at reducing A1C in
patients with type 2 diabetes compared
with usual care or in addition to usual
care (41). For rural populations or those
with limited physical access to health
care, telemedicine has a growing body of
evidenceforits effectiveness, particularly
with regard to glycemic control as mea-
sured by A1C (42–44). Interactive strat-
egies that facilitate communication
between providersandpatients,including
the use of web-based portals or text
messaging and those that incorporate
medication adjustment, appear more
effective. There is limited data avail-
able on the cost-effectiveness of these
strategies.
Successful diabetes care also requires
a systematic approach to supporting
patients’ behavior change efforts.
High-quality diabetes self-management
education and support (DSMES) has
been shown to improve patient self-
management, satisfaction, and glucose
outcomes. National DSMES standards
call for an integrated approach that in-
cludes clinical content and skills, behav-
ioral strategies (goal setting, problem
solving), and engagement with psycho-
social concerns (26). For more informa-
tion on DSMES, see Section 5 “Lifestyle
Management.”
In devising approaches to support
disease self-management, it is notable
that in 23% of cases, uncontrolled A1C,
blood pressure, or lipids were associated
with poor medication-taking behaviors
(“medication adherence”) (19). At a sys-
tem level, “adequate” medication taking
is defined as 80% (calculated as the
number of pills taken by the patient
in a given time period divided by the
number of pills prescribed by the physi-
cian in that same time period) (19).
If medication taking is 80% or above
and treatment goals are not met, then
treatment intensification should be
considered (e.g., uptitration). Barriers
to medication taking may include
patient factors (financial limitations,
remembering to obtain or take medica-
tions, fear, depression, or health beliefs),
medication factors (complexity, multiple
daily dosing, cost, or side effects), and
system factors (inadequate follow-
up or support). Success in overcoming
barriers to medication taking may be
achieved if the patient and provider
agree on a targeted approach for a spe-
cific barrier (12).
The Affordable Care Act has resulted
in increased access to care for many
individuals with diabetes with an empha-
sis on the protection of people with
preexisting conditions, health promotion,
anddiseaseprevention(45).Infact,health
insurance coverage increased from
84.7% in 2009 to 90.1% in 2016 for
adults with diabetes aged 18–64 years.
Coverage for those $65 years remained
near universal (46). Patients who have
eitherprivate orpublicinsurance coverage
are more likely to meet quality indicators
for diabetes care (47). As mandated
by the Affordable Care Act, the Agency
for Healthcare Research and Quality
developed a National Quality Strategy
based on the triple aims that include
improving the health of a population,
overall quality and patient experience of
care, and per capita cost (48,49). As
health care systems and practices adapt
to the changing landscape of health
care, it will be important to integrate
traditional disease-specific metrics with
measures of patient experience, as well
as cost, in assessing the quality of diabe-
tes care (50,51). Information and guid-
ance specific to quality improvement and
practice transformation for diabetes care
is available from the National Diabetes
Education Program practice transforma-
tion website and the National Institute of
Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Dis-
eases report on diabetes care and quality
(52,53). Using patient registries and elec-
tronic health records, health systems
can evaluate the quality of diabetes care
being delivered and perform interven-
tion cycles as part of quality improve-
ment strategies (54). Critical to these
efforts is provider adherence to clinical
practice recommendations and accu-
rate, reliable data metrics that include
sociodemographic variables to examine
health equity within and across popula-
tions (55).
In addition to quality improvement
efforts, other strategies that simulta-
neously improve the quality of care
and potentially reduce costs are gaining
momentum and include reimbursement
structures that, in contrast to visit-based
billing, reward the provision of appro-
priate and high-quality care to achieve
metabolic goals (56) and incentives that
accommodate personalized care goals
(7,57).
TAILORING TREATMENT FOR
SOCIAL CONTEXT
Recommendations
1.5 Providers should assess social
context, including potential
food insecurity, housing stabil-
ity, and financial barriers, and
apply that information to treat-
ment decisions. A
1.6 Refer patients to local commu-
nity resources when available. B
1.7 Provide patients with self-
management support from lay
health coaches, navigators, or
community health workers
when available. A
Health inequities related to diabetes
and its complications are well docu-
mented and are heavily influenced by
social determinants of health (58–62).
Socialdeterminants ofhealtharedefined
as the economic, environmental, politi-
cal, and social conditions in which people
live and are responsible for a major part
of health inequality worldwide (63). The
ADA recognizes the association between
social and environmental factors and the
prevention and treatment of diabetes
and has issued a call for research that
seeks to better understand how these
social determinants influence behaviors
and how the relationships between these
variables might be modified for the pre-
vention and management of diabetes
(64). While a comprehensive strategy to
reduce diabetes-related health inequi-
ties in populations has not been for-
mally studied, general recommendations
from other chronic disease models can
be drawn upon to inform systems-level
strategies in diabetes. For example, the
National Academy of Medicine has
published a framework for educating
health care professionals on the impor-
tance of social determinants of health
(65). Furthermore, there are resources
available for the inclusion of standard-
ized sociodemographic variables in elec-
tronic medical records to facilitate the
measurement of health inequities as
well as the impact of interventions de-
signed toreducethose inequities(66–68).
Social determinants of health are not
always recognized and often go undis-
cussed in the clinical encounter (61). A
care.diabetesjournals.org Improving Care and Promoting Health S9
18. study by Piette et al. (69) found that
among patients with chronic illnesses,
two-thirds of those who reported not
taking medications as prescribed due to
cost never shared this with their physi-
cian. In a more recent study using data
from the National Health Interview
Survey (NHIS), Patel et al. (61) found
that half of adults with diabetes reported
financial stress and one-fifth reported
food insecurity (FI). One population in
which such issues must be considered is
olderadults,where socialdifficultiesmay
impair their quality of life and increase
their risk of functional dependency (70)
(see Section 12 “Older Adults” for a de-
tailed discussion of social considerations
in older adults). Creating systems-level
mechanisms to screen for social deter-
minants of health may help overcome
structural barriers and communication
gaps between patients and providers
(61). In addition, brief, validated screen-
ing tools for some social determinants of
health exist and could facilitate discus-
sion around factors that significantly
impact treatment during the clinical en-
counter. Below is a discussion of assess-
ment and treatment considerations in
the context of FI, homelessness, and
limited English proficiency/low literacy.
Food Insecurity
FI is the unreliable availability of nutri-
tious food and the inability to consis-
tently obtain food without resorting to
socially unacceptable practices. Over
14% (or one of every seven people)
of the U.S. population is food insecure.
The rate is higher in some racial/ethnic
minority groups, including African
American and Latino populations, in
low-income households, and in homes
headed by a single mother. The risk for
type 2 diabetes is increased twofold in
those with FI (64) and has been associ-
ated with low adherence to taking medi-
cations appropriately and recommended
self-care behaviors, depression, diabe-
tes distress, and worse glycemic control
when compared with individuals who
are food secure (71,72). Risk for FI can
be assessed with a validated two-item
screening tool (73) that includes the
statements: 1) “Within the past 12
months we worried whether our food
would run out before we got money
to buy more” and 2) “Within the past
12 months the food we bought just
didn’t last and we didn’t have money
to get more.” An affirmative response
to either statement had a sensitivity of
97% and specificity of 83%.
Treatment Considerations
In those with diabetes and FI, the priority
is mitigating the increased risk for un-
controlled hyperglycemia and severe hy-
poglycemia. Reasons for the increased
risk of hyperglycemia include the steady
consumption of inexpensive carbohy-
drate-rich processed foods, binge eat-
ing, financial constraints to the filling
of diabetes medication prescriptions,
and anxiety/depression leading to poor
diabetes self-care behaviors. Hypoglyce-
mia can occur as a result of inadequate
or erratic carbohydrate consumption
following the administration of sul-
fonylureas or insulin. See Table 9.1 for
drug-specific and patient factors, includ-
ing cost and risk of hypoglycemia, for
treatment options for adults with FI and
type 2 diabetes. Providers should con-
sider these factors when making treat-
ment decisions in people with FI and
seek local resources that might help
patients with diabetes and their family
members to more regularly obtain
nutritious food (74).
Homelessness
Homelessness often accompanies many
additional barriers to diabetes self-
management, including FI, literacy and
numeracy deficiencies, lack of insurance,
cognitive dysfunction, and mental health
issues. Additionally, patients with diabe-
tes who are homeless need secure places
to keep their diabetes supplies and re-
frigerator access to properly store their
insulin and take it on a regular schedule.
Risk for homelessness can be ascertained
using a brief risk assessment tool de-
veloped and validated for use among
veterans (75). Given the potential chal-
lenges, providers who care for homeless
individuals should be familiar with re-
sources or have access to social workers
that can facilitate temporary housing
for their patients as a way to improve
diabetes care.
Language Barriers
Providers who care for non-English
speakers should develop or offer educa-
tional programs and materials in multiple
languages with the specific goals of pre-
venting diabetes and building diabetes
awareness in people who cannot easily
read or write in English. The National
Standards for Culturally and Linguisti-
cally Appropriate Services in Health
and Health Care provide guidance on
how health care providers can reduce
language barriers by improving their
cultural competency, addressing health
literacy, and ensuring communication
with language assistance (76). The site
offers a number of resources and materi-
als that can be used to improve the quality
of care delivery to non-English–speaking
patients.
Community Support
Identification or development of com-
munity resources to support healthy
lifestyles is a core element of the CCM
(9). Health care community linkages
are receiving increasing attention from
the American Medical Association, the
Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality, and others as a means of pro-
moting translation of clinical recommen-
dations for lifestyle modification in real-
world settings (77). Community health
workers (CHWs) (78), peer supporters
(79–81), and lay leaders (82) may assist
in the delivery of DSMES services (66),
particularly in underserved communi-
ties. A CHW is defined by the American
Public Health Association as a “frontline
public health worker who is a trusted
member of and/or has an unusually close
understanding of the community served”
(83). CHWs can be part of a cost-effective,
evidence-based strategy to improve
the management of diabetes and car-
diovascular risk factors in underserved
communities and health care systems
(84).
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S12 Improving Care and Promoting Health Diabetes Care Volume 42, Supplement 1, January 2019
22. classic symptoms seen in children. Oc-
casionally, patients with type 2 diabetes
may present with DKA, particularly ethnic
minorities (3). Although difficulties in
distinguishing diabetes type may occur in
all age-groups at onset, the true diag-
nosis becomes more obvious over
time.
In both type 1 and type 2 diabetes,
various genetic and environmental fac-
tors can result in the progressive loss of
b-cell mass and/or function that mani-
fests clinically as hyperglycemia. Once
hyperglycemia occurs, patients with all
forms of diabetes are at risk for devel-
oping the same chronic complications,
although rates of progression may differ.
The identification of individualized ther-
apies for diabetes in the future will re-
quirebettercharacterization ofthemany
paths to b-cell demise or dysfunction (4).
Characterization of the underlying
pathophysiology is more developed in
type 1 diabetes than in type 2 diabetes. It
is now clear from studies of first-degree
relatives of patients with type 1 diabetes
that the persistent presence of two or
more autoantibodies is an almost certain
predictor of clinical hyperglycemia and
diabetes. The rate of progression is de-
pendent on the age at first detection
of antibody, number of antibodies, anti-
body specificity, and antibody titer. Glu-
cose and A1C levels rise well before the
clinical onset of diabetes, making diag-
nosis feasible well before the onset of
DKA. Three distinct stages of type 1 di-
abetes can be identified (Table 2.1) and
serve as a framework for future research
and regulatory decision making (4,5).
The paths to b-cell demise and dys-
function are less well defined in type 2
diabetes, but deficient b-cell insulin
secretion, frequently in the setting of
insulin resistance, appears to be the
common denominator. Characterization
of subtypes of this heterogeneous dis-
order have been developed and vali-
dated in Scandinavian and Northern
European populations but have not
been confirmed in other ethnic and racial
groups. Type 2 diabetes is primarily as-
sociated with insulin secretory defects
related to inflammation and metabolic
stress among other contributors, includ-
ing genetic factors. Future classification
schemes for diabetes will likely focus
on the pathophysiology of the underly-
ing b-cell dysfunction and the stage of
disease as indicated by glucose status
(normal, impaired, or diabetes) (4).
DIAGNOSTIC TESTS FOR DIABETES
Diabetes may be diagnosed based on
plasma glucose criteria, either the fasting
plasma glucose (FPG) value or the 2-h
plasma glucose (2-h PG) value during a
75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT),
or A1C criteria (6) (Table 2.2).
Generally, FPG, 2-h PG during 75-g
OGTT, and A1C are equally appropriate
for diagnostic testing. It should be noted
that the tests do not necessarily detect
diabetes in the same individuals. The
efficacy of interventions for primary pre-
vention of type 2 diabetes (7,8) has
primarily been demonstrated among in-
dividuals who have impaired glucose
tolerance (IGT) with or without elevated
fasting glucose, not for individuals with
isolated impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or
for those with prediabetes defined by
A1C criteria.
The same tests may be used to screen
for and diagnose diabetes and to detect
individuals with prediabetes. Diabetes
may be identified anywhere along the
spectrum of clinical scenarios: in seem-
ingly low-risk individuals who happen to
haveglucosetesting,inindividualstested
based on diabetes risk assessment, and
in symptomatic patients.
Fasting and 2-Hour Plasma Glucose
The FPG and 2-h PG may be used to
diagnose diabetes (Table 2.2). The con-
cordance between the FPG and 2-h PG
tests is imperfect, as is the concordance
between A1C and either glucose-based
test. Compared with FPG and A1C cut
points, the 2-h PG value diagnoses more
people with prediabetes and diabetes (9).
A1C
Recommendations
2.1 To avoid misdiagnosis or missed
diagnosis, the A1C test should be
performed using a method that is
certified by the NGSP and stan-
dardized to the Diabetes Control
and Complications Trial (DCCT)
assay. B
2.2 Marked discordance between mea-
sured A1C and plasma glucose
levels should raise the possibility
of A1C assay interference due to
hemoglobin variants (i.e., hemo-
globinopathies) and consider-
ation of using an assay without
interference or plasma blood glu-
cose criteria to diagnose diabe-
tes. B
2.3 In conditions associated with an
altered relationship between A1C
and glycemia, such as sickle cell
disease, pregnancy (second and
third trimesters and the postpar-
tum period), glucose-6-phosphate
dehydrogenase deficiency, HIV,
hemodialysis, recent blood loss or
transfusion, or erythropoietin ther-
apy, only plasma blood glucose cri-
teria should be used to diagnose
diabetes. B
The A1C test should be performed using a
method that is certified by the NGSP
(www.ngsp.org) and standardized or
traceable to the Diabetes Control and
Table 2.1—Staging of type 1 diabetes (4,5)
Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
Characteristics c Autoimmunity c Autoimmunity c New-onset hyperglycemia
c Normoglycemia c Dysglycemia c Symptomatic
c Presymptomatic c Presymptomatic
Diagnostic criteria c Multiple autoantibodies c Multiple autoantibodies c Clinical symptoms
c No IGT or IFG c Dysglycemia: IFG and/or IGT c Diabetes by standard criteria
c FPG 100–125 mg/dL (5.6–6.9 mmol/L)
c 2-h PG 140–199 mg/dL (7.8–11.0 mmol/L)
c A1C 5.7–6.4% (39–47 mmol/mol) or $10%
increase in A1C
S14 Classification and Diagnosis of Diabetes Diabetes Care Volume 42, Supplement 1, January 2019
23. Complications Trial (DCCT) reference
assay. Although point-of-care A1C assays
may be NGSP certified or U.S. Food and
Drug Administration approved for diag-
nosis, proficiency testing is not always
mandated for performing the test. There-
fore, point-of-care assays approved for
diagnostic purposes should only be con-
sidered in settings licensed to perform
moderate-to-high complexity tests. As
discussed in Section 6 “Glycemic Targets,”
point-of-care A1C assays may be more
generally applied for glucose monitoring.
The A1C has several advantages com-
pared with the FPG and OGTT, including
greater convenience (fasting not re-
quired), greater preanalytical stability,
and less day-to-day perturbations during
stress and illness. However, these ad-
vantages may be offset by the lower
sensitivity of A1C at the designated cut
point,greatercost, limitedavailabilityof
A1C testing in certain regions of the de-
veloping world, and the imperfect corre-
lation between A1C and average glucose
in certain individuals. The A1C test, with
a diagnostic threshold of $6.5% (48
mmol/mol), diagnoses only 30% of the
diabetes cases identified collectively
using A1C, FPG, or 2-h PG, according
to National Health and Nutrition Exam-
ination Survey (NHANES) data (10).
When using A1C to diagnose diabetes,
it is important to recognize that A1C is an
indirect measure of average blood glu-
cose levels and to take other factors into
consideration that may impact hemoglo-
bin glycation independently of glycemia
including HIV treatment (11,12), age, race/
ethnicity, pregnancy status, genetic back-
ground, and anemia/hemoglobinopathies.
Age
The epidemiological studies that formed
the basis for recommending A1C to di-
agnose diabetes included only adult pop-
ulations (10). However, a recent ADA
clinical guidance concluded that A1C,
FPG, or 2-h PG can be used to test for
prediabetes or type 2 diabetes in chil-
dren and adolescents. (see p. S20 SCREEN-
ING AND TESTING FOR PREDIABETES AND TYPE 2
DIABETES IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS for ad-
ditional information) (13).
Race/Ethnicity/Hemoglobinopathies
Hemoglobin variants can interfere with
the measurement of A1C, although most
assays inuse in theU.S. are unaffected by
the most common variants. Marked dis-
crepancies between measured A1C and
plasma glucose levels should prompt
consideration that the A1C assay may
not be reliable for that individual. For
patients with a hemoglobin variant but
normal red blood cell turnover, such as
those with the sickle cell trait, an A1C
assay without interference from hemo-
globin variants should be used. An up-
dated list of A1C assays with interferences
is available at www.ngsp.org/interf.asp.
African Americans heterozygous for
the common hemoglobin variant HbS
may have, for any given level of mean
glycemia, lower A1C by about 0.3% than
those without the trait (14). Another ge-
neticvariant,X-linkedglucose-6-phosphate
dehydrogenase G202A, carried by 11%
of African Americans, was associated
with a decrease in A1C of about 0.8%
in homozygous men and 0.7% in homo-
zygous women compared with those
without the variant (15).
Even in the absence of hemoglobin
variants, A1C levels may vary with race/
ethnicity independently of glycemia
(16–18). For example, African Americans
may have higher A1C levels than non-
Hispanic whites with similar fasting and
postglucose load glucose levels (19), and
A1C levels may be higher for a given mean
glucose concentration when measured
with continuous glucose monitoring (20).
Though conflicting data exists, African
Americans may also have higher levels of
fructosamine and glycated albumin and
lower levels of 1,5-anhydroglucitol, suggest-
ing that their glycemic burden (particularly
postprandially) may be higher (21,22). The
association of A1C with risk for complica-
tions appears to be similar in African Amer-
icans and non-Hispanic whites (23,24).
Other Conditions Altering the Relationship
of A1C and Glycemia
In conditions associated with increased
red blood cell turnover, such as sickle cell
disease, pregnancy (second and third
trimesters), glucose-6-phosphate dehy-
drogenase deficiency (25,26), hemodialy-
sis, recent blood loss or transfusion, or
erythropoietin therapy, only plasma blood
glucosecriteriashouldbeused todiagnose
diabetes (27). A1C is less reliable than
blood glucose measurement in other con-
ditions such as postpartum (28–30), HIV
treated with certain drugs (11), and iron-
deficient anemia (31).
Confirming the Diagnosis
Unless there is a clear clinical diagnosis
(e.g., patient in a hyperglycemic crisis
or with classic symptoms of hyperglyce-
mia and a random plasma glucose $200
mg/dL[11.1mmol/L]),diagnosisrequires
two abnormal test results from the
same sample (32) or in two separate
test samples. If using two separate test
samples, it is recommended that the
second test, which may either be a repeat
of the initial test or a different test, be
performed without delay. For example, if
the A1C is 7.0% (53 mmol/mol) and a
repeat result is 6.8% (51 mmol/mol), the
diagnosis of diabetes is confirmed. If two
different tests (such as A1C and FPG) are
both above the diagnostic threshold
when analyzed from the same sample
or in two different test samples, this also
confirms the diagnosis. On the other
hand, if a patient has discordant results
Table 2.2—Criteria for the diagnosis of diabetes
FPG $126 mg/dL (7.0 mmol/L). Fasting is defined as no caloric intake for at least 8 h.*
OR
2-h PG $200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) during OGTT. The test should be performed as described by the WHO, using a glucose load containing the
equivalent of 75-g anhydrous glucose dissolved in water.*
OR
A1C $6.5% (48 mmol/mol). The test should be performed in a laboratory using a method that is NGSP certified and standardized
to the DCCT assay.*
OR
In a patient with classic symptoms of hyperglycemia or hyperglycemic crisis, a random plasma glucose $200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L).
*In the absence of unequivocal hyperglycemia, diagnosis requires two abnormal test results from the same sample or in two separate test samples.
care.diabetesjournals.org Classification and Diagnosis of Diabetes S15
24. from two different tests, then the test
result that is above the diagnostic cut
point should be repeated, with consider-
ation of the possibility of A1C assay in-
terference. The diagnosis is made on the
basis of the confirmed test. For example,
if a patient meets the diabetes criterion
of the A1C (two results $6.5% [48
mmol/mol]) but not FPG (,126 mg/dL
[7.0 mmol/L]), that person should never-
theless be considered to have diabetes.
Since all the tests have preanalytic and
analytic variability, it is possible that an
abnormal result (i.e., above the diagnostic
threshold), when repeated, will produce
a value below the diagnostic cut point.
This scenario is likely for FPG and2-hPGif
the glucose samples remain at room tem-
peratureandarenotcentrifugedpromptly.
Because of the potential for preanalytic
variability, it is critical that samples for
plasma glucose be spun and separated
immediately after they are drawn. If pa-
tientshavetestresultsnearthemarginsof
the diagnostic threshold, the health care
professional should follow the patient
closely and repeat the test in 3–6 months.
TYPE 1 DIABETES
Recommendations
2.4 Plasma blood glucose rather than
A1C should be used to diagnose
the acute onset of type 1 diabetes
in individuals with symptoms of
hyperglycemia. E
2.5 Screening for type 1 diabetes risk
with a panel of autoantibodies is
currently recommended only in
the setting of a research trial or in
first-degree family members of a
proband with type 1 diabetes. B
2.6 Persistence of two or more auto-
antibodies predicts clinical diabe-
tes and may serve as an indication
for intervention in the setting of
a clinical trial. B
Diagnosis
In a patient with classic symptoms, mea-
surement of plasma glucose is sufficient
to diagnose diabetes (symptoms of hy-
perglycemia or hyperglycemic crisis plus
a random plasma glucose $200 mg/dL
[11.1 mmol/L]). In these cases, knowing
the plasma glucose level is critical be-
cause, in addition to confirming that
symptoms are due to diabetes, it will in-
form management decisions. Some pro-
viders may also want to know the A1C to
determine how long a patient has had
hyperglycemia. The criteria to diagnose
diabetes are listed in Table 2.2.
Immune-Mediated Diabetes
This form, previously called “insulin-
dependent diabetes” or “juvenile-onset
diabetes,”accountsfor5–10%ofdiabetes
and is due to cellular-mediated auto-
immune destruction of the pancreatic
b-cells. Autoimmune markers include islet
cell autoantibodies and autoantibodies to
GAD (GAD65), insulin, the tyrosine phos-
phatases IA-2 and IA-2b, and ZnT8. Type 1
diabetes is defined by the presence of
one or more of these autoimmune
markers. The disease has strong HLA
associations, with linkage to the DQA
and DQB genes. These HLA-DR/DQ alleles
can be either predisposing or protective.
The rate of b-cell destruction is quite
variable, being rapid in some individuals
(mainly infants and children) and slow in
others (mainly adults). Children and ado-
lescents may present with DKA as the
first manifestation of the disease. Others
have modest fasting hyperglycemia
that can rapidly change to severe hyper-
glycemia and/or DKA with infection or
other stress. Adults may retain sufficient
b-cell function to prevent DKA for many
years; such individuals eventually be-
come dependent on insulin for survival
and are at risk for DKA. Atthis latter stage
of the disease, there is little or no insulin
secretion, as manifested by low or un-
detectable levels of plasma C-peptide.
Immune-mediated diabetes commonly
occurs in childhood and adolescence,
but it can occur at any age, even in
the 8th and 9th decades of life.
Autoimmune destruction of b-cells
has multiple genetic predispositions
and is also related to environmental
factors that are still poorly defined. Al-
though patients are not typically obese
when they present with type 1 diabetes,
obesity should not preclude the diagno-
sis. People with type 1 diabetes are also
prone to other autoimmune disorders
such as Hashimoto thyroiditis, Graves dis-
ease, Addison disease, celiac disease, vit-
iligo, autoimmune hepatitis, myasthenia
gravis, and pernicious anemia (see Section
4 “Comprehensive Medical Evaluation
and Assessment of Comorbidities”).
Idiopathic Type 1 Diabetes
Some forms of type 1 diabetes have no
known etiologies. These patients have
permanent insulinopenia and are prone
to DKA, but have no evidence of b-cell
autoimmunity. Although only a minority
of patients with type 1 diabetes fall into
this category, of those who do, most are of
African or Asian ancestry. Individuals with
this form of diabetes suffer from episodic
DKA and exhibit varying degrees of insulin
deficiency between episodes. This form
of diabetes is strongly inherited and is
not HLA associated. An absolute require-
ment for insulin replacement therapy in
affected patients may be intermittent.
Screening for Type 1 Diabetes Risk
The incidence and prevalence of type 1
diabetes is increasing (33). Patients with
type 1 diabetes often present with acute
symptoms of diabetes and markedly
elevated blood glucose levels, and ap-
proximately one-third are diagnosed
with life-threatening DKA (2). Several
studies indicate that measuring islet
autoantibodies in relatives of those
with type 1 diabetes may identify indi-
viduals who are at risk for developing
type 1 diabetes (5). Such testing, coupled
with education about diabetes symp-
toms and close follow-up, may enable
earlier identification of type 1 diabetes
onset. A study reported the risk of pro-
gression to type 1 diabetes from the time
of seroconversion to autoantibody pos-
itivity in three pediatric cohorts from
Finland, Germany, and the U.S. Of the
585 children who developed more than
two autoantibodies, nearly 70% devel-
oped type 1 diabetes within 10 years and
84% within 15 years (34). These findings
are highly significant because while the
German group was recruited from off-
spring of parents with type 1 diabetes,
the Finnish and American groups were
recruited from the general population.
Remarkably, the findings in all three
groups were the same, suggesting that
the same sequence of events led to
clinical disease in both “sporadic” and
familial cases of type 1 diabetes. Indeed,
the risk of type 1 diabetes increases as
the number of relevant autoantibodies
detected increases (35–37).
Although there is currently a lack of
accepted screening programs, one should
consider referring relatives of those with
type 1 diabetes for antibody testing for
risk assessment in the setting of a clini-
cal research study (www.diabetestrialnet
.org). Widespread clinical testing of asymp-
tomatic low-risk individuals is not currently
S16 Classification and Diagnosis of Diabetes Diabetes Care Volume 42, Supplement 1, January 2019